When goalkeeper Andy Gruenebaum mysteriously began losing strength in his left shoulder this
summer, he decided to remove himself from the Crew lineup.

Fourteen games later, the eight-year member of the Crew roster figures to return to the starting
lineup in today’s season finale against the New England Revolution at Crew Stadium. Although he is
one of three Crew players who will enter the offseason without a contract, the likely decision to
start Gruenebaum ahead of Matt Lampson is not a signal of the team’s intentions, interim coach
Brian Bliss said.

“I wouldn’t read much into it,” Bliss said after practice Friday. “I hate to knock guys out of
the lineup who played and got injured, but when he got back we were on a run.”

Today’s game could be the final chance for Crew fans to cheer a trio of key members of the
opening-day starting lineup. Although few contracts in Major League Soccer are guaranteed from year
to year, forward/midfielder Dominic Oduro and defender Josh Williams join Gruenebaum as Crew
players who are out of option years.

Bliss and assistant coach Mike Lapper also have uncertain futures, a fact that has hampered
negotiations with players. Bliss, who is also the team’s technical director, said some talks with
players began in mid-August but cooled about five weeks ago as the search for a permanent coach
ramped up.

Although each player has expressed a desire to stay in Columbus, all three will reach the end of
their contracts in different situations.

Oduro’s guaranteed compensation is the lowest among the league’s top 10 scorers this season. The
Crew acquired him and his contract from Chicago during the preseason and his salary is 11th-highest
on the roster, a low figure for the team’s most prolific scorer since Jeff Cunningham had 16 goals
in 2002.

Assuming he starts today, Oduro will be the only player to appear in all 34 games this season.
His 13 goals are a career high, and he appears in line for a raise.

“I would be lying if I said it hasn’t been on my mind,” Oduro said. “It has occurred to me from
time to time, but guess what? I have to make it hard for them. I think I have proven my case right
now. I think the coaches know, so it’s just a matter of if my services are good enough for them to
retain me and keep me here next year.”

Williams has shown his versatility while playing every position along the back line the past two
seasons, but he suffered a concussion on Sept. 3 and lost his spot in the lineup as the defense put
together a strong run of play. Gruenebaum has not played since July 27 after rehabilitating his
shoulder and finding himself in a similar situation.

Williams said he approached Bliss recently and asked to table any contract talks until after the
season.

“I’m just enjoying my time, and I’m glad they have faith in me and they’re calling my name
Sunday,” he said on Thursday.

Contract year or not, Gruenebaum said his focus has not changed this year.

“Last year I was playing for a spot,” he said. “The year before that I was playing for a spot.
Every year you have to go out and perform or else you’re not going to have a spot the next
year."